Transnistrian Foreign Ministry dispels parliament’s concerns about loss of sovereignty

Transnistrian MPs are concerned that Transnistria may lose part of its sovereignty as a result of the restart of railway communications with Moldova.

The decision was made in 2012. Now Transnistria’s biggest companies can transport their products directly through Moldova and this is a big stimulus for them to enlarge their outputs.

But the MPs insist that the decision was illegal and may result in a loss of sovereignty.

In its comment on these concerns, Transnistria’s Foreign Ministry says that checkpoints are deployed on the border in the Moldovan city of Bender and the Transnistrian city of Ribnita. “The sides cooperate on a parity basis. We control the situation. So, we see no encroachment on our sovereignty here,” says the ministry.

Former Chairman of the State Customs Committee of Transnistria Gennady Kuzmichev warns that the MPs’ charges are just a pre-electoral provocation (the next presidential election in Transnistria is scheduled for Dec 11 2016 - EADaily). “There are no threats to our national security here,” Kuzmichev says.

The Transnistrian Economic Development Ministry reports that the restart of the railway traffic with Moldova has saved Transnistrian companies over $10mn. “As a result, since 2012 the Transnistrian Railways has paid twice as much in taxes as in 2007-2012,” the ministry says.